


forever home

by starbytes



Series: safe haven [1]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst with a Happy Ending, Bisexual Disaster Sokka (Avatar), Environmental Racism, Environmentalism, F/M, Gay Zuko (Avatar), Gen, Hurt Sokka (Avatar), Hurt Zuko (Avatar), Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, M/M, Mentions of genocide, Minor Animal Distress/Injuries, Ozai (Avatar) Being a Terrible Parent, Ozai (Avatar) is an Asshole, Protective Sokka (Avatar), Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Trust Issues, Zuko is an Awkward Turtleduck, Zuko's Scar (Avatar)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-14
Updated: 2021-02-14
Packaged: 2021-03-15 15:28:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,661
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29438271
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starbytes/pseuds/starbytes
Summary: The shelter was a safe haven, taking in the abused and the neglected, the abandoned and the lost. They were the outstretched hands, healing and guiding until they were no longer needed, though their mission didn't end with a tail and four paws.Sokka had always taken great pride in connecting their animals with the people who needed them most, until he met someone who needed a little bit more - and learned that, maybe, he did, too.
Relationships: Aang/Katara (Avatar), Bato/Hakoda (Avatar), Past Jet/Zuko - Relationship, Past Sokka/Suki, Sokka & Suki (Avatar), Sokka & The Gaang (Avatar), Sokka/Zuko (Avatar), The Gaang & Zuko (Avatar), past Sokka/Yue
Series: safe haven [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2162379
Comments: 10
Kudos: 66
Collections: Zukka Big Bang





	forever home

**Author's Note:**

> happy valentine's day everyone! i wish i had something better for yall but. here were are lmao
> 
> welcome to my zukka big bang! i worked with terra ([ao3](https://archiveofourown.org/users/terracyte/pseuds/terracyte) | [tumblr](https://terracyte.tumblr.com/)) as my artist and lee ([ao3](https://archiveofourown.org/users/BeignetBenny) | [tumblr](https://beignetbenny.tumblr.com/)) as my beta, and i am so, so grateful for their hard work and input. you guys are amazing! i also had a lot of help from my gf and my friends, and i would not have finished without their support. seriously, thanks guys <3
> 
> there were a few things about this fic that i wanted to note before you get started:  
> \- this is a modern au with bending set primarily in ba sing se. there is no avatar and some major events were altered slightly, but the general canon timeline remains intact  
> \- this fic only touches briefly on war and genocide, focusing mostly on current issues, but i do want to expand on the history behind everything in subsequent fics  
> \- as stated above, this will be a series! i had way too much i wanted to include, so i ultimately decided to save parts of it for separate entries. most will focus on sokka and zuko's relationship, and their time working at the shelter, but some will be more serious  
> \- i only just read the comics for the first time over the past year. i actually got my hands on north and south just as i was finishing this fic lmao. it doesn't really matter, but i thought i should mention that this ignores anything comic related, and any similarities are purely coincidental  
> \- finally, i work at an animal shelter, so a lot of what you'll read is a daily occurrence for me! that means there may be a few things that i leave vague, either intentionally or unintentionally, so please don't be afraid to ask!
> 
> phew, okay. just wanted to get all of that out of the way. anyway, there are three chapters total, and posting will have about a ~day or so between. i hope you enjoy chapter 1!

The towering flying bison was hard to miss as it floated above the Safe Haven Animal Shelter and Rehabilitation Center. He greeted Sokka each morning as he turned the corner, slowing his bike as he approached the old building. It still struggled to pass the city inspection every year, and the marvel of seeing a living bison within the walls of Ba Sing Se didn’t stop the occasional complaint, but Sokka knew it was something to be proud of. Just like the bison that resided there.

“Mornin’, Appa!” he called. Appa rumbled a greeting before disappearing behind the center, most likely for his breakfast. Sokka couldn’t blame him.

He took the ramp up to the door, unlocking it with one of the dozen color-coded keys he always carried with him, and stepped inside. The large windows caught the early morning light, casting a warm glow over the lobby and the several framed pictures that hung on the walls. There were two dozen more pinned to cork boards and the sides of computer monitors. Each one told the story of an animal, but they were all just a fraction of the hundreds more that crowded an ever-growing list of success stories. They served as the crown jewel of the shelter - and their website, newly revamped, much to Sokka's personal pride.

The table beside the door, normally well-stocked with adoption applications and volunteer forms, was mostly bare after their most recent weekend adoption event. He made a mental note to print more as he switched on the overhead light. He downed the last of his coffee as he stepped over to his office, pushing open the door and tossing his backpack inside. Then he stretched, popping his neck, his back, his fingers, and his toes in his usual morning ritual before taking a deep breath and clocking in.

Sokka had an infamously meticulous schedule which, much to his resentment, was usually understandable only to him. It was easy to follow as long as you were willing to do three things at once, or you had a degree in mechanical engineering, according to his friends. It was a fair assessment of his methods, considering he was the only one who _actually_ had a degree in mechanical engineering, but he sometimes had to wonder if he should be offended anyway. Regardless, he was still nice enough to sort through their emails first thing each morning, protecting Aang from the pain of lost pet inquiries and saving Suki the trouble of organizing their latest applications. Even if they did like to bully him.

Sokka spent the next hour working through his usual administrative tasks. He went over inventory lists, finished up the detailed report of their weekend adoptions for their director and public relations team, and made copies of the day's adoptions paperwork for kennel staff to look over in preparation. Then he moved on to wildlife services, forwarding eight voicemails and three emails to their rehabilitation department. Jet was never happy about the influx of messages about raccoon bats first thing in the morning, but it never failed to brighten Sokka's mood.

He worked a few important calls and meetings into his schedule before, finally, making note of all the adoption finalizations he would need to review with Katara. His sister's schedule was far more chaotic than his could ever be, especially since Doctor Pakku had retired, but she had never been one to back down from a challenge. Even as the center's only full-time veterinarian, she somehow managed to sit down with him at least once a day to make sure all of their animals were microchipped, and vaccines were given before sending them home with their adopters.

Satisfied that everything was in place and that he was ready to open the center, Sokka pushed himself away from his desk to finish setting up the lobby. He flipped the overhead lights on, further illuminating Aang’s desk where it was positioned to welcome clients into the center, and Suki’s, which faced the opposite way to bid farewell to their animals and their new families. He stacked the newly printed applications in a neat little pile on the table by the entrance, turned on the music, and did a quick sweep of the lobby to make sure it was clean before going back to the door and unlocking it. He switched the open sign around, glanced at the clock and stepped back. He counted three minutes.

"Sorry I'm late!"

Aang burst through the door in a literal whirlwind of orange robes. The papers by the door were instantly strewn across the lobby floor, the open sign flipping itself right back around.

"I forgot to make Katara's lunch last night and Momo knocked over my favorite plant this morning, so I had to get a new pot. I was lucky I had a spare!" Aang blew through his explanation, making a dive for the time clock. Then he dropped his bag and quickly gathered the scattered papers into a surprisingly neat stack, standing at attention once he was done. Sokka raised an eyebrow and Aang gave the lobby a once-over before realizing his mistake. “Oops, my bad.”

He turned the open sign around once more before glancing at Sokka, his tentative smile searching for approval. Sokka sighed.

"Aang, it's three minutes after. You're not even technically late," he said, smoothing his hair back into place and adjusting his wolf tail. Silently, he counted to five, and the bell above the door rang a little more peacefully as Suki pushed it open.

"You just got here, didn't you?" she asked Aang. "I'm not late then."

" _You're_ cutting it close," Sokka grinned. Suki rolled her eyes and walked calmly to the time clock, punching in her number.

"Is there anything else for us to do this morning or did you do it all?" she asked. "I told you to wait for us."

" _Thank you, Sokka_ , is what I think I should be hearing right now," Sokka said, feigning interest in his nails. Suki sighed.

"Thank you, Sokka," she relented, but only for now. She would strike later, when the time was right. "Any cancellations so far?"

"Nope! We still have six adoption appointments and three intakes," he said. "Not too bad. I'll handle the walk ups."

" _Just_ the walk ups?"

Sokka gave Suki a pointed look, and she held up her hands in surrender.

"Okay, okay. Just remember to eat."

"Do I ever forget?"

The answer was _no_ , of course, but Sokka knew that wasn't really what Suki meant. It was the _resting_ part of lunch he rarely observed, as she liked to say, even when he was officially meant to be off the clock. He gave her a smile and a thumbs up, then left them to get their day started, retreating into his office. 

There were a number of empty coffee cups on his desk and a mysterious smell that was _probably_ old laundry, but all of his paperwork was filed neatly in its proper boxes and folders. There was a concerning layer of dog hair covering his cabinets and floor that he couldn’t be bothered to vacuum as long as he could read the labels. There was grease on the handle of the battered old toolbox he kept in the corner, but if all of his tools were in their rightful places, he could hold off on cleaning it.

Organized chaos. Sokka clapped his hands together and got to work.

After thirty minutes of answering emails, he snuck out to visit Katara, who had been there since the early hours of the morning. She looked even less happy with him than Suki as he began to unpack newly delivered medical supplies, restocking her shelves as she and Haru went through their morning medication routine. But she was grateful, regardless. She wasn't exactly in a position to turn down help with so small a team.

Sokka made his rounds through the kennels, picking up extra walks and even going as far as to help Jet replace some of the fencing for the outdoor enclosures before _accidentally_ misplacing the hammer. It was nearing noon by the time he left the rehabilitation center, leaving a furious Jet behind to search his office as he returned to his own.

He sat for a full minute, tapping his leg before pulling up their applications. Between interviews and scheduling appointments, he ordered lunch, only leaving his office to grab it from the dasher. Aang gave him a mournful look as he caught scent of the greasy, quarter pounder burger, while Suki was more suspicious than anything as he disappeared back into his office.

He leaned over his keyboard, inhaling his food as he poured over more applications and reports. He was completely unaware that it was well past three by the time his door was cracked open.

"Do you want this one?"

Sokka made a noncommittal grunt of acknowledgement, fingers flying across his keyboard as Suki rapped her knuckles against the doorframe. He didn't immediately glance up, but that had never stopped Suki before, and after a few seconds the view of his computer monitor was obstructed by a tablet.

"You're doing it again," Suki continued with a smirk as Sokka reached for it, only to snatch it back before his fingers could brush over the screen. He gave her a look, but the soft worry in her eyes could always weaken even his fiercest glare, and whatever annoyance he felt instantly melted away. It always left him with the uncertain kind of guilt that came from worrying her, rather than worrying about himself. "Did you take a lunch?"

"I did, actually," he affirmed, sitting up a little straighter. He pointed to the empty styrofoam container by his computer, but Suki shook her head, crushing any and all confidence in his answer beneath her knowing gaze.

"I know you _ate_ lunch, but did you actually take a _break_?" she asked, peering over his monitor at his keyboard. Sokka looked down, too, before hurriedly trying to brush the crumbs and sesame seeds off the keys, his mind struggling to come up with the best possible defense despite knowing there never was one. "I know those didn't get there because you were watching _The Great Air Nomad Bake Off_."

"The new episode hasn't dropped yet," Sokka muttered with a sigh of defeat, leaning back in his chair. "I just needed to catch up on some things, okay? I still have paperwork from that hoarding case last week, which—"

"Which you didn't even need to be involved with," Suki gently interjected.

"We're short staffed, Suki. I want to help where I can," he said, using his best Supervisor Voice - which also had very little effect on Suki, other than to make her frown, and that uncertain guilt suddenly became very certain and real. He sighed again and rubbed his hands over his face. "Look, I'm just—sorry. I'm sorry."

"I know," Suki said, because she did. She understood - sometimes better than he understood himself, and there was still something terribly vulnerable and unfair in that fact. Whether he thought it was unfair for her, or for himself, he sometimes couldn't say, though it usually depended on how big of a pity party he was having.

Suki moved around his desk, glancing at his monitor, then at the application displayed on the tablet, a sly smile appearing on her face. She reached out and gave his head an affection shove.

"At the very least, you need something to break up the monotony of intake forms. Genius minds need stimulation," she said with a genuine smile, the praise going straight to Sokka's head, as was usually her plan. "How about we trade? I'll finish the memos, and you do this in-person interview. It's kind of a weird one, which is why I thought you'd like it."

"Fair enough," Sokka said, if only because Suki was going to force him out of his office one way or another, and he'd rather have something to do in the meantime. He reached out for the tablet, but Suki snatched it away once more. "Hey!"

"I have conditions," she elaborated. Sokka groaned, slumping back in his chair. "I'll let you have this, but you have to promise to take an actual break afterward. A full ten minutes."

"Fine, it's a deal. Promise."

Satisfied, Suki finally let him grab the tablet, though she manhandled him out of his chair before he could get a good look at it.

"Okay! Okay! I'm going!" he whined. He didn't put up much of a fight, mostly out of fear that she might drag him out of the office by his wolf tail - something she had done more than once in the past. Regardless, he didn't make it easy on her, leaning back until she was forced to shove him forward. He stumbled out of his office, causing Aang to glance up from his work with a laugh as Suki shut the door and locked it behind him. Sokka glared at him, tilting his head up. "What are you lookin' at?"

"A miracle,” Aang said, grinning widely. “She didn't have to drag you by your hair this time!”

Sokka smacked his palm against his forehead as Aang descended into a fit of giggles. Doing his best to ignore him, he moved to Suki's desk. He sat down and placed the tablet in front of him to finally give it a look over.

Lee Hirayama. Twenty-seven years old, living and working in the upper ring with his elderly uncle. Looking for...  
  
"... Something loving, to provide companionship and comfort, and a home for one without… Preferably low maintenance," Sokka murmured under his breath, raising an eyebrow. "Did his uncle fill this out for him?"

The guy was laying it on thick, but Sokka couldn't really find fault with it, and it was better than most of their upper ring applications. The donations were nice (and needed), but he'd found most of them were looking for a trophy rather than a companion. They tended to treat the adoption process like shopping, even if it was at a discount. He supposed it was a plus that Lee hadn't asked for a purebred lapdog. Yet.

Sokka could only imagine how the interview was going to go.

"He’s already here?" he asked, rolling his chair back to get a good look at Aang, who shrugged. "His appointment isn't until four. He's early."

"Toph found him outside on her way in. She said he seemed nervous, so she told him he could wait in the courtyard," he said. "Suki got a kick out of his app, though. She said it looked like his uncle filled it out for him."

"Which is kind of a red flag, considering gift apps aren’t allowed. Do you think he's under eighteen or something?" Sokka asked as he pushed himself out of the chair.

"I didn't get a good look at him," Aang said, frowning. "I hope not! I hate denials like that."

"You hate _all_ denials, which is why I'm the one who gets stuck with them," Sokka said with an affectionate roll of his eyes. "Well, I'm gonna go see who this mysterious Lee is. Wish me luck."

"You get stuck with them because you're my supervisor!" Aang called as Sokka headed for the sliding doors that led into the courtyard. "Break a leg - and not literally this time!"

* * *

The courtyard was probably Sokka's most favorite place in the whole center. If not for its beauty and the calming respite it offered, then because he had been the one to design it. He had built the benches, picked out the flora and the decorations, laid the pebbles down himself. It had been hard work, but it had also been a way to escape the endless schematics and sheets of steel. Creating this space was his time to unwind, to draw inspiration from his heart instead of his head.

And if it hurt, deep in his heart, when he stepped out into the sun and wished it were moonlight instead... Well, it was worth it, just to have a reminder of Yue.

The sun wasn't shining then. Clouds had moved in over the course of the day, offering a bit of relief from the summer heat, but it didn't take away from the elegance and charm of the oasis. His applicant, Lee, seemed to agree. Sokka found him standing before the pond, staring down at the koi that glimmered beneath its lily pad-dotted surface. He didn't seem to hear him approach, his back still turned to Sokka even when he paused behind him. Sokka cleared his throat, frowning as the other tensed and straightened his back.

"Oh, sorry! I thought you might have heard me. You're Lee, right?" he asked. "I'm Sokka. I'm head of adoptions here and I'll be conducting your..."

Something in his brain disconnected from his mouth, all thoughts and any subsequent words drying up on his tongue.

Lee had finally turned his head, glancing over his shoulder and giving Sokka a good look at his right side. His eye narrowed slightly in what Sokka could only guess was irritation for surprising him. He was so distracted by its lovely brown depths, shadowed by dark fringe and a sunless sky, that he couldn't really bring himself to feel guilty. There was a messy fluffiness to his hair that activated an innate desire Sokka only ever felt around the fluffiest of newborn kittens and, on occasion, Aang, even though he didn't have any hair to ruffle. Of course, he had never (not) ruffled Aang's hair or snuggled a kitten and wondered if their shampoo smelled of cinnamon or fire lilies.

"... interview," he finally managed, some kind of very basic, life-preserving instinct flipping a switch in his brain. "Um, right. Would you like to sit out here, or do you want to go inside? It'll only take a few minutes."

Lee's lips parted, but he didn't immediately give an answer. His nervousness was obvious, but it was nothing new in their business. Most applicants were terrified of the interview, of giving the wrong answer and possibly being denied. That rarely happened, if Sokka was being honest, because there were no wrong answers (technically), but it was important that he avoided swaying anyone's answers one way or the other, so he usually let his charm and charisma do the work of easing their fears.

 _Usually_.

"Hey, man, relax a little! You don't have to be so nervous!" he said, instantly throwing the charismatic part of his personality and all of his training to the wind. Lee pressed his lips into a thin line, his minor annoyance blooming into a very distinct irritation that made Sokka regret all of his life choices up until that point. He swallowed hard, an awkward, panicked laugh tumbling out of his mouth.

"... If I were to ask for a manager, I'm guessing you would tell me you _are_ the manager?" Lee asked, looking even less impressed with him, but Sokka felt his heart flip over in his chest regardless. Lee's voice was low and raspy, and it did things to his brain that made it hard for him to think about anything else.

"Unfortunately!" he said, somewhat stupidly. "Well, I mean, not really. Y'know? But I am head of adoptions—did I say that already?"

Lee raised his eyebrow, eye darting to somewhere behind Sokka, and Sokka resisted the urge to smack his own forehead with his tablet. That was the look of an animal entering flight or fight.

 _Remember your training, Sokka_ , he thought seriously, clearing his throat again. _You are_ the _manager._

"How about we take a seat?" he asked, gesturing to one of the benches. "It's okay, really. Everyone is nervous about the interview, but I promise, it's not horrible - just a couple of questions about yourself and your lifestyle. We want to make sure we find the perfect match."

He offered him a kind, reassuring smile, though the tension didn't drain from Lee's posture. Sokka thought he might refuse and back out of the interview altogether. That wasn't too uncommon, but he had never felt such crushing premature disappointment before in his life.

Well, almost never.

Finally, Lee nodded, saving him from that particular line of thought. Sokka's smile grew into a grin.

"Great! Let's sit down over here," he said, turning and walking toward one of the more private areas of the courtyard. He hoped it would put Lee a little more at ease, and to his relief, the crunch of pebbles under Lee's boots joined his own as he followed him.

He decided on a spot beneath another of his favorite features: the ginkgo tree he had affectionately nicknamed Suki. He tried to channel some of her calming vibes as he brushed a few fan-shaped leaves from the bench and sat down. He patted the spot next to him.

Something lurched in his chest. Icy shock warred with white-hot recognition, his face flushing. He had to fight to keep breathing as if he hadn’t just had the wind knocked out of him.

Lee had paused a healthy distance away, staring at him with a guarded expression. There was a challenge in his eyes, his jaw set and his arms crossed, lips twitching into the beginnings of a scowl. He was tense, a rope pulled taut and trembling, frayed at the ends.

He was waiting for the other shoe to drop, for Sokka to do something other than stare back at him.

Sokka didn’t let his smile falter.

"... Let's get started.” He tapped his tablet to wake it up. Lee blinked slowly at him and didn't move, arms tightening over his chest. "You can stay standing if you want, and feel free to ask any questions."

He finally tore his gaze away from Lee's face, focusing instead on the first few questions.

"You live with your uncle, right? It's just the two of you?"

The silence stretched for a moment. The wait was almost unbearable, and Sokka almost expected to look up again and see him walking away, but instead the silence is only broken by Lee's voice.

"That's right...?" he said, confusion so palpable Sokka almost had to laugh. That would certainly scare him away, so he kept quiet. It didn't stop him from privately enjoying it, of course.

"And you work at the Jasmine Dragon?"

Lee shifted forward, just a little bit, but Sokka was so hyper aware of it that it might as well have been a marathon sprint.

"Yes." Lee hesitated. ”It's a teahouse. My uncle owns it."

"That's really cool! I think it's great that you help out your uncle.”

There was a comment on the tip of his tongue, something about the virtue of family-owned businesses. He banished that thought to the part of his brain marked _extremely bad ideas_.

If Lee noticed the internal struggle, he didn't say anything. Instead, he edged closer, until he was close enough that Sokka could touch him. He didn’t.

"What about your lifestyle? What do you like to do when you're not drinking tea?" he asked, smiling at his own joke. Lee didn't laugh, his deadpan expression filled Sokka with a similar feeling.

"I don't drink a lot of tea."

Lee shifted his weight from foot to foot. Sokka waited, until finally, _finally_ , Lee sat down beside him.

Trust was one of the highest rewards in his line of work, and building that bond extended to people just as much as it did to animals. He knew fear and weariness. He knew their familiar weight deep in his own bones.

He saw them, too, in Lee's eyes, in the way he held himself, ready to make his escape at the first sign of trouble. He saw the pain in the way his scar stretched over the left side of his face, soul deep and angry red. It spread like wildfire down his neck and disappeared beneath his shirt.

This close, Sokka saw details he'd never noticed in pictures or videos. He had never noticed how far the scar seemed to reach, or how the brown of his left eye was hazy and lighter in color. His left ear was smaller, part of it missing and pinched, hidden by soft curls.

Lee didn't move from his spot, but Sokka knew he wanted to. He had his hands clenched against his thighs, one of his knees bobbing with nervousness. Sokka refused to let his gaze linger for too long, but he knew Lee was watching him. He seemed to retreat a little deeper into himself with every shift of Sokka's eyes.

The challenge was still there, impatient for him to make his move, but there was something vulnerable there, too. Sokka had to wonder if Lee was even aware of how obvious it was.

"What about your activity level? Some of our animals need more active households, you know?"

He caught Lee relaxing in the corner of his eye before focusing back down on the tablet. 

"I used to do competitive, um, fighting. Sometimes," Lee replied after a moment, unsure. "Not—Not so much now. I... don't get out a lot."

"That's fair. I'm kind of a couch potato myself, when I'm not working out." Sokka lifted his arm in a flex. He offered Lee a wink, and though he didn't say anything, he _did_ take a look at the muscles stretching the sleeve of his shirt. Sokka took it as a win. "I know you said you were looking for something low maintenance. We do assessments on our animals to determine things like age restrictions, but we also try to gauge their energy levels. Just like people, some of them just want a comfortable lap to sleep on and something interesting to watch on Netflix."

It wasn't quite his usual spiel, meant to put his potential adopters at ease when they weren't able to promise three walks a day, but the light blush on Lee's cheek was worth the slight change in script. Sokka had a feeling it meant a little more to Lee than it did to most as he watched him nod. His expression was a little less severe, more thoughtful - hopeful, maybe, as if he were starting to believe it hadn't been a mistake for him to even try.

He continued down his list with no small amount of pride when Lee turned into the conversation, occasionally leaning to catch a glimpse of Sokka's notes. Sokka let him, even if he normally wouldn't, like an exercise in trust. Lee was still quiet, more so than most of his applicants, but he was beginning to open up, little by little. With each question, Sokka was able to build a slightly bigger picture of him. Something that went beyond guarded and unsure answers.

He learned that Lee _really_ didn't get out much After his regular shift at the teahouse, he retreated into the upstairs apartment and stayed there, though sometimes his uncle would drag him out for an afternoon in the park, or a night at the theater. Lee admitted it almost as an afterthought. Maybe he wanted to sound annoyed, but there was something soft and appreciative in his voice he just couldn’t hide. Sokka decided he liked Lee's uncle. Talking about him won Sokka his first real smile, one that reached Lee’s eyes and made Sokka's heart beat a little faster.

He also learned that Lee didn't have any experience with pets. He hadn't been allowed to have them as a kid, though Sokka didn't comment on that particular bit of information. He also didn't force Lee to elaborate when his posture went rigid and his gaze somewhat distant. Sokka didn't need him to. Instead, he heard what he needed to hear as Lee explained that there had been a pond at his childhood home where turtleducks would regularly visit. He talked about it as if it were something sacred, some formative part of his life that held such a special place in his heart that Sokka almost felt as if he had been there himself.

"My mother used to sit with me and feed them... I mean, I know now that you shouldn't feed them a lot of bread, but—" He cut himself off. Sokka laughed and shook his head.

"Hey, I'll take bread over plastic any day. Did you know our shelter has a wildlife department? I'm not over there every day, but I've worked with my fair share of turtleducks."

"Really?" The way Lee’s gaze lit up was almost enough to make Sokka forget he was supposed to be conducting an interview. "I, uh—I knew, I just didn't think..."

He trailed off, and Sokka didn't push him. Instead, he capped his pen before tucking it behind his ear. It seemed to work as a distraction for Lee, who followed it, gaze lingering before looking away again. Sokka gave him a wide, toothy smile.  
  
"You should maybe think about volunteering sometime. We always need the help, and we cover your training for free," he said. For the first time, Lee returned his smile. It was nowhere near as big and bright, of course, but Sokka was more than happy to see it. He held out his hand, and Lee took it with only a moment of hesitation. "Well, you survived the interview! How do you feel?"

"Oh," he said, blinking in surprise as he pulled his hand back. Just as Sokka expected it would, some of his nervousness came rushing back. "Um... good?"

"Great! You should! You did good, I promise," Sokka said, and it was true, but it wasn't that simple. Nothing was ever _simple_. "Hey, why don't you sit here for a second? I need to run inside, but I'll be right back. You okay with that?"

"Yes?" Lee said quietly, but he looked a little more at ease with Sokka's reassurances.

Sokka offered him another smile and got to his feet. He tried to pretend he wasn't laser-focused on his movements, each step carefully measured as if he wasn't about to break into a run. He made it to the door and let himself inside, slowly closing it behind him. He leaned heavily against it.

"What the fuck," he gasped to himself, if only because it was the only thing that summed up all his emotions at once. "What the fuck!"

"Sokka?" Sokka listened to Aang's chair roll across the floor. He appeared out from behind his desk with a concerned frown. "Everything okay?"

Before Sokka could answer, Suki appeared down the hall, her smile dropping to mirror Aang's worry.

"About time you came back in. You were out there for half an hour," she said. "Did... everything go okay?"

"Really?" Sokka was genuinely surprised, because it felt as if no time at all had passed. He shook his head. "Yes, _yes_ , everything went fine. It was great!"

"Okay...?" Suki shared a glance with Aang. "So, he's approved?"

"No!" Sokka moved to Suki's desk, falling into her chair and dropping his head into his hands. Suki moved to his side, placing a hesitant hand on his shoulder while Aang gathered his robes and stood, following them. "He's _perfect_ , but I can't approve his application."

"Perfect, huh?" Suki repeated. She shared another look with Aang that went unseen. Sokka could practically feel it, knew what it _meant_ , knew what that tone meant, and he growled in frustration. "Is there any particular reason why you're denying him then?"

"Yes, because he _lied_."

Sokka lifted his head, laying the tablet on the desk and rubbing his eyes. Aang and Suki were both staring at him in utter confusion, a dozen questions on the tips of their tongues, and Sokka knew he couldn't hide it from them. He wasn't sure he would physically be able to.

"His name isn't Lee," he said. "It's Zuko."

"Zuko...? Uh, kind of an uncommon name," Aang said slowly, unsure of what to do with this information. "Sounds familiar, though."

"It should. Ozai’s son, _Zuko_ , was all over the news a few years ago," Suki mused. Sokka hadn't always appreciated her quick deduction skills, which sometimes left him feeling as if he couldn't keep any secrets to himself, but he was especially glad for them now. Regardless, he flinched as her eyes widened and her jaw went slack. "You don't mean—? No way. No way!"

"Suki, hold on!" he begged, trying to reach for her, but she was already out of range. She darted to one of the windows that looked out over the courtyard, skidding to a halt and ducking down. She peeked through the blinds.

"Spirits, it _is_ him!" she gasped. "Not gonna lie, I thought he was dead."

"Suki—"

"Wait, it's actually _that_ Zuko?"

Aang scrambled to follow her, and Sokka groaned.

"Guys, c'mon! This is serious! I have a problem here!"

"What kind of problem?"

Sokka sighed, slowly turning in his chair to face his sister. Katara stood with her arms crossed over her chest, hair pulled up into a messy bun, and some very interesting stains on her scrub top. She had been in surgery all day. It showed in the tightness around her eyes and the tense set of her shoulders. She was tired, obviously, and a tired Katara wasn't the most reasonable Katara. _Especially_ when Sokka intended to be equally as unreasonable.

"You didn't lose another owlcat, did you?"

"Okay, first of all, not my fault—"

"Not mine, either!" Aang called, and Katara smiled gently at him before returning her suspicious gaze back on her brother.

"That's not fair at all, but _no_ , we didn't lose a cat," Sokka protested. "It's, um..."

"He just completed an interview, but it's a denial," Suki said, never looking away from the window. Katara raised an eyebrow.

"So? You deny people all the time," she said.

"But this one's _perfect_ ," Suki replied, mimicking his earlier tone, and Sokka sank deeper into the chair as Katara sucked in a breath.

"Sokka—"

"It's Zuko! Zuko Sozin!" Sokka nearly yelled, covering his face, because facing the more obvious truth was far easier than drawing attention to the one underneath. And it worked, though Katara's reaction was still the furthest thing from ideal.

"What?" She uncrossed her arms and went to join the other two at the window. Aang stepped aside to give her a good look, and Sokka was sure he could see the hatred radiating from her body like steam from boiling water as he peeked between his fingers. "He actually put in an application? And Sokka _interviewed_ him?"

"I'm literally right here."

"Under the name Lee," Suki said as they both ignored him.

Katara huffed, turning around to glare at Sokka as he finally lowered his hands. He gripped the armrests of the chair and pushed himself up, grabbing the tablet and holding onto it as if afraid Katara might try to destroy it. And she would, definitely, if given the chance.

"Why would you even entertain him?"

"In my defense, I didn't realize who he was at first. He didn't even fully turn around when I went out to greet him," Sokka said. "It was obvious he didn't want me to know."

"Well, obviously." Katara rolled her eyes. "You should have kicked him out."

Suki's expression wasn't as severe as Katara's, but he could still see the tension in her body. Her gaze was the most telling. It was that same look of knowing, and he knew it came from a place of love and concern, but he didn't want to hear it. He didn't think he could handle it, not with the way his insides were already knotted up and twisted.

Aang, at least, had the decency to look as conflicted as Sokka felt.

"You said the interview went well," he said at length. Sokka nodded.

"It did. That's what I'm _saying_ ," he said, raising a hand as Katara opened her mouth to argue. "Guys, wait, please. Hear me out."

Katara glared at him, recrossing her arms, but she pressed her lips together, waiting. It was the only chance Sokka was going to get, so he knew he had to make it count.

"I don't think he means any harm. He was so nervous, guys. _Really_. Like, it was kind of painful to watch, and really awkward at first—"

"Are you sure _you_ weren't the one making it awkward?" Suki asked, which was a fair question, he knew, but he still didn't appreciate it. He stuck out his tongue. Suki rolled her eyes.

" _Anyway_ , it took me a minute to get him to relax, and when he did it was fine. All of his answers were sincere, and the way he talked about his family—"

"His _family_?" Katara seethed, but Sokka quickly waved his hands.

"His _uncle_! Just his uncle, and his mom," he amended. "The way he talked about them was so... I don't know how to explain it, but it was genuine and... kind of sweet, you know? And he used to have this turtleduck pond—he really likes them, I think. He seriously needs to get out more or get a hobby - he needs _something_ , okay? He never even mentioned his dad—"

"Well, that's the smartest thing he's done so far!" Katara threw her hands up. "Sokka, you can't just take on people like you do projects—"

"He's not a _project_ , Katara."

"I know you. I know what you're thinking," she said, ignoring him. There was an understanding in her eyes that hurt much more than Suki's did, though Katara was much less careful about it. "You can't keep doing this. He's not your responsibility, and you shouldn't even try to get involved with that hot mess of a family. You could lose your job—"

"It's not like that!" Sokka snapped, holding up the tablet. "He lied! I'm not approving his application. I'm not letting him adopt!"

"Then why is he still here?"

"I want him to volunteer."

There's a moment of silence that gives Sokka time to take a breath before the chaos. Katara clutched at her hair, and even Suki looked surprised, maybe even disappointed. Only Aang looked mildly interested, though he was clearly uncomfortable, edging away from Katara.

"You want him to _what_? Sokka, are you crazy?" She gave her head a hard shake, strands of hair falling from her bun. "No. No way. His father is _Ozai_. You know, of Sozin Industries? He is literally the biggest reason we need volunteers for our wildlife department to begin with! Not to mention—"

She cut herself off with a glance at Aang, who tensed and looked down at the ground. Katara sighed and began to rub at her temples.

"She's got a point, Sokka," Suki said quietly.

"I know. Trust me, I know," Sokka said. He placed the tablet back on the desk before moving in front of Katara. He placed a hand on her head. "Maybe... Maybe it isn't a good idea..."

"No, I think—I think it is."

Three sets of eyes shifted to Aang, who still looked a little conflicted, but he was quick to elaborate.

"This could be a good thing for us," he let out a nervous laugh as everyone continued to stare, including Sokka, who couldn't believe Aang was actually agreeing with him and not Katara. "I mean, think about it! We've been lobbying against Sozin Industries for so long; it would probably help our cause if Ozai's son were to start volunteering here. And... I don't know, it might help Zuko, too. He kind of disappeared after all, didn't he?"

"Ozai probably knew better than to keep that kind of publicity around," Katara muttered. "It hurt his image for a couple of years."

"Exactly!" Sokka said, though Katara was less forgiving toward him than she was to Aang, shaking off his hand and turning to glare at him. "Oh, come on! It's poetic, don't you think?"

"Are we sure Zuko even wants to volunteer? Or put himself out in the public eye again, for that matter?" Suki asked, which caused something painful to lodge itself in Sokka's chest. _Guilt_. "You said he was really nervous, right? He didn't even want us to know who he was."

"Well, I didn't—I haven't asked," Sokka said. "But he seemed interested - when I told him about our wildlife department, I mean. I think I could convince him."

 _Hope_ was probably a better word, but he didn't say it out loud.

Suki hummed in consideration, while Katara pinched the bridge of her nose, eyes shut tightly. Aang placed a hand on her shoulder, leaning into her, but he was grinning at Sokka.

"It would have to be approved by the Director and the Volunteer Coordinator, but... I think I can swing it," he said. Sokka reached out and punched his uncovered shoulder.  
  
"Of course you can," he said affectionately, and he knew Aang could. He glanced at Katara. "Well, baby sister? What do you think?"

"Don't call me that," Katara said, even as her expression softened. "You're going to do it no matter what I say."

"Probably, but I _do_ care what you think. I'd like for this to be unanimous."

"I'm in," Suki said after a moment, though there was a look on her face that promised Sokka a long phone call later. Resigning himself to it, but no less grateful, Sokka grinned at her.

Officially outvoted, Katara sighed, leaning into Aang's hold as he slipped an arm around her waist.

"Fine. Okay," she said at last. "I still think this could go very, very badly, but... I'll trust your judgement. For now."

Aang pressed a kiss to her cheek, which made her smile, but she still leveled Sokka with a fierce glare.

"I'm keeping an eye on him, though. One toe out of line and I'm taking it off," she warned. "No anesthesia."

"Is that a threat against him or me? Feels like me," Sokka said, frowning. Katara smirked.

"Yes," she said, and left it at that. She returned Aang's kiss before turning to leave at the exact moment Toph appeared out of the kennels. She paused at the door as Katara passed by.

"What's going on?"

"You don't want to know," Katara said before backtracking. "On second thought, I think this is right up your alley."

"I knew I sensed chaos," Toph said with a wicked laugh. Katara groaned and continued on, disappearing down the hall toward the breakroom.

Sokka wasn't exactly sure how comfortable he was leaving Suki and Aang to explain the situation to Toph. Ultimately, he decided he would have to face the repercussions later. He had kept Lee— _Zuko_ waiting long enough, and if he didn't go out to talk to him now, he would probably lose his nerve. He went to the table by the front door, grabbing one of the volunteer forms before heading back to the courtyard. Suki and Aang wished him luck, while Toph echoed Aang and told him to break a leg.

He almost wanted to, with how badly his nerves were beginning to get to him. He pushed forward, stepping back outside.

He found Zuko on the bench, bouncing his leg and mindlessly scrolling through his phone. He glanced up at Sokka when he heard him approach. Sokka could see the walls going back up, a kind of silent resignation on his face

"It's a no, isn't it?"

"Ah, well—" Sokka began, clearing his throat. He sat back down beside him. "It's a no."

"Because I lied," Zuko said. It wasn't a question.

"We require some form of identification, so I would have found out eventually, even if I hadn't known who you were."

"Oh," Zuko said, as if he had never considered the possibility. His frown deepened, a storm raging behind his eyes. He shook his head, then got to his feet. "I knew this was a bad idea. I told Uncle it wouldn't work."

He rounded on Sokka, face twisting in anger fueled by hurt he was struggling to conceal. Sokka instantly decided he hated being the cause of it.

"You recognized me. Why didn't you say anything? Why did you even talk to me if it wasn't going to go anywhere?"

"I wanted to talk to you," Sokka admitted, surprising himself and Zuko. He could see it in the way Zuko’s expression shifted, but only for a moment, before it was covered up by a practiced and finely woven veil. It stretched far beyond anger, into a deep pain Sokka could only glimpse before Zuko was turning away. "Wait!"

He nearly dropped the form as he reached out, grabbing Zuko's wrist. Zuko reacted instantly, jerking his arm back as if he'd been scalded. He twisted on his heel, looking torn between punching him in the face and making a run for it. Sokka held his hand up in surrender.

"Sorry! _Sorry_ ," he stressed. "I shouldn't have done that. I'm sorry. Just—let me explain, please."

Zuko blinked slowly, pulling his arm against his chest as if he were afraid Sokka would try again if he refused, but he didn’t try to leave. If it was the best Sokka was going to get, then he was grateful for it.

"I should have said something at the beginning. It was wrong of me to lie to you, so I'm sorry."

"... You didn't actually lie," Zuko murmured, raising an eyebrow. Sokka relaxed a little, a quiet laugh escaping him as he rubbed sheepishly at the back of his neck.

"No, but I wasn't completely truthful, either," he said. "I want you to know that you didn't fail the interview. I think you'd make a great adopter, honestly. My hands are a little tied, though, so I can't approve your app."

Zuko opened his mouth to say something, but Sokka cut him off with a shake of his head. He held up the volunteer form.

"Doesn't mean we wouldn't like to have you as a volunteer," he said with a grin. "I meant what I said. We always need the help, and I think you'd be perfect for it. Besides, it's caring for lots of animals at once, so it's _basically_ the same thing as adopting, just without your house turning into one giant litter box!"

Zuko stared at him, then at the form, brow furrowed. Sokka tried not to panic when he didn't immediately reach out to take it.

"... You really think I should?" he finally asked. "Even though my family—"

He cut himself off, glaring at the form with such intensity Sokka thought it might catch fire.

"Based on what you told me about your uncle and your mom, I think they sound great. I think they'd want you to volunteer," Sokka said gently. Maybe it was manipulative but mentioning Ozai seemed like a much worse idea. Zuko seemed to think so, too, some of the tension easing from his stance as he accepted the form. Sokka grinned and stood up, holding out his hand - waiting, this time, for Zuko to meet him halfway.

When the soft warmth of Zuko's hand met his, Sokka felt more than relief flood his senses. It was something both familiar and unknown, a sense of deja vu, or a dream he'd had a dozen times before, with an ending that changed each time. His chest ached with it, but it wasn't so unpleasant that he wanted to let go. Instead, he held on a little too long, until Zuko pulled away. The warmth lingered.

"Why don't you take that home and look it over, give it some thought. I'm off tomorrow, but if you wanna drop by again on Wednesday, I'll be here," he said. "I'll walk you through it, if you want."

Zuko swallowed, holding the form in front of him almost like a shield as he stared at Sokka. He was looking for the lie, waiting for the other foot to drop. Sokka let him look, let him search until he was satisfied, nodding.

"Okay," he murmured. "I'll see what Uncle thinks."

"Great!" Sokka said. "If you decide it really isn't something you wanna do, just give the shelter a call. My extension is 224. Sound good?"

Zuko nodded again. Sokka really wanted to reach out and pat his shoulder or maybe touch his hair, because that particular urge was still going strong, but he held himself back. Instead, he walked with Zuko back toward the door, and he hoped Zuko didn't notice the chaotic shuffle at the window as Suki, Aang and Toph ran away from it. When he opened the door, they were back at their respective desks, and Toph was leaning against the wall, arms over her chest.

Zuko straightened his back, moving stiffly as Sokka guided him through the lobby, eyes refusing to meet either of the two sets that were very poorly pretending not to follow him.

Toph was much more obvious about her interest in him.

"See you bright and early, Sparky!" she called after them. "Earliest volunteer shift is seven in the morning and no one ever wants it!"

Zuko turned to look at her as they reached the door.

"Sparky?" he whispered to Sokka, as if he wasn't sure if he should be offended. Sokka choked on a strained laugh.

"Don't mind her. She's rabid," he said as he opened the door for him. "I'll see you on Wednesday!"

"I'll see you Wednesday...?" Zuko said. He hesitated but offered Sokka a small smile before turning to hurrying out onto the street. Sokka shut the door and leaned heavily against it, though he looked up to catch Aang scrambling back to his desk.

Suki didn't move, however. Sokka had to look away.

"It's not what you think," he began, knowing it was futile. Toph snorted.

"Isn't it, though?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. Sokka scowled and ignored her, retreating into the safety of his office. Suki's voice carried after him.

"You promised me you'd take a break!" she called, and Sokka honestly couldn't tell if she was talking about their deal or the never-ending chaos that was his life.

* * *

The rest of the day passed in a blur, like a fever dream Sokka wasn't entirely sure had actually happened. He did his best to avoid Suki, though it left him feeling guilty, especially when she seemed to respect his desire to _not_ talk about it. When she called him the next day, discussing everything from his latest ideas to the newest films, she never once mentioned Zuko. It was so obvious that he nearly brought him up for her.

Aang didn't mention it, either, when he and Katara came for dinner that evening, but Katara wasn't above starting a fight at the table. It nearly ended in Aang's homemade pie becoming a new wall decoration in Sokka's kitchen, but they ended the night with an intensely competitive game of Uno and, later, a quiet apology from a worried sister.

That didn't stop her from telling their dads, of course, and he received a text from Hakoda later that night that resulted in an hour-long phone call.

Sokka supposed he couldn't blame any of them, not really, which was why he didn't try to run from Suki as she pulled him aside on Wednesday morning.

"Try not to get your hopes up," she said, reaching up to adjust his shirt collar. Her hand then moved to his cheek, smoothing her thumb over his stubble. "You need to shave."

"You don't think I should grow it out?" he asked. Suki rolled her eyes, but her smile didn't quite reach them. Sokka sighed and reached up to hold onto her wrist. "Hey... I'm sorry."

"Don't be. We've been giving you a hard time," she admitted. "We're just worried about you. You get so worked up about these things, and you always throw everything you have—"

"Way too fast?" Sokka finished for her. "Like I did with you?"

"Like you did with me," Suki agreed, but not unkindly. She dropped her hand, but shifted to entwine their fingers, squeezing his hand. "I mean, I won't lie… you're the only person I know who genuinely believes in love at first sight. It's one of the things I like most about you."

"I don't know if I believe it for real," Sokka said. "Honestly, I think you were just too pretty."

"Like Zuko is too pretty?"

Sokka opened his mouth to argue but faltered at the knowing look in Suki's eyes - the same one that had left him feeling raw and defensive just two days ago. It still made him feel vulnerable, and he hated it, but this time he didn't fight it as hard. Suki gave his hand another squeeze.

"Maybe he is pretty," he allowed. "And maybe I want to get to know him a little better. I promise, it's not gonna be like—I won't make the same mistake I made with you. I won't say anything unless he's interested."

"And if he's never interested?"

"It's okay if he isn't," Sokka said. "I promise, Suki. I'll be okay."

"I know you will. You're tough, I guess," she said, pulling her hand away, only to punch his shoulder. "For the record, I still think your type is 'person who could absolutely kick my ass if they wanted to and I would let them'."

"Well, Zuko used to fight," Sokka said with a grin. Suki laughed.

"Ha! Knew it. Aang owes me money, though I have to split it with Katara and Toph."

"Well, _I_ think you're all bullies," he said. "And who knows? Maybe he's into swordplay."

"Inappropriate for the workplace, Sokka."

"What's inappropriate?" Aang asked, appearing in the doorway of Sokka's office. He shook his head. "Don't answer that. Anyway, guess who's here!"

Sokka sucked in a breath.

"Wait, he actually came?"

"Yeah! I took him back out to the courtyard. He looked kind of anxious standing in the lobby," Aang said, offering him a thumbs up. 

"He actually came!" Sokka repeated. Suki rolled her eyes as he punched the air, but she was smiling.

If Sokka was being honest with himself, he had imagined more disappointing scenarios than he had good ones. He had rehearsed a dozen different conversations, some trying to get Zuko to change his mind, other more accepting of his decision not to volunteer. He supposed it was a defense mechanism, protecting him from the devastating blow he had been so sure was coming.

But Zuko was there, he wanted to volunteer, and maybe he wanted to see Sokka again, and—

"Oh, shit," he rasped. "He actually came."

Sudden panic made him a little lightheaded, though he was vaguely aware of Suki's hand on his arm.

"Steady there," she said, somehow looking even more amused than she had before. "Don't panic."

"I'm not panicking!" Sokka said, a little louder than he meant to. "I just— _spirits_ , I don't know what I'm doing."

"You could start by saying hi. Remember, he's more scared of you than you are of him."

"Are we sure about that?" Aang asked. Sokka glared weakly at him.

"Don't you have work to do, slacker?"

"Okay, okay. Just wanted to remind you that they can sense fear," Aang said with a grin, moving out from the doorway in a flash of bright orange robes. Sokka groaned.

"Now _he's_ bullying me. My own little baby brother," he said mournfully, despite the fact that Aang towered over all of them.

"It's out of love, I promise," Suki said. She removed her hand from his arm, only to adjust his shirt. "C'mon, let's go. He might get cold feet if you leave him alone for too long. You said the interview went really well, right? Just keep being yourself. It'll put both of you at ease."

"I hope so," Sokka sighed, allowing Suki to guide him out of the office. She branched off to go to her desk, but she gave his arm another pat as she did so, wishing him luck. Sokka felt he needed far more than that as he pushed open the door to the courtyard.

It was a very bright, sunny day, hot and a little uncomfortable by Sokka's standards. Zuko looked more at home in the sunlight as he turned away from the pond to offer Sokka a small smile. He held up the volunteer form.

"Uncle thought it was a good idea," he said as Sokka fumbled with the form. He was so distracted by the shine of Zuko's hair and the way the brown of his eyes almost looked like honey in the light that he momentarily forgot how to use his hands.

"And what about you? Do _you_ think it's a good idea?" he managed to ask.

Zuko was quiet, but eventually he nodded. Sokka grinned at him.

"I'm glad you think so. Volunteering is as much for your benefit as it is ours. We want you to enjoy it!" he said, glancing over the form. "Everything here looks good... Do I need to check your ID?"

He winked, though Zuko merely stared at him, uncomprehending and maybe a little embarrassed by the reminder. It was equally cute and awkward, so Sokka coughed and shook his head.

"Right. Are you good if I call you Zuko?"

"... I guess? It's my name," he replied, frowning.

"Yeah, but if it makes you uncomfortable, I won't," Sokka insisted. "Like I said, I want you to enjoy your time here. If that means calling you Lee, I will. Just as long as we have your legal information."

Zuko seemed genuinely surprised, but after another beat of silence, he shook his head, running a hand back through his hair. It gave Sokka a better look at his scar before it was covered once again by silky black strands.

"You can call me Zuko," he decided. "I want you to."

Sokka tried not to read too much into that simple request, but it _felt_ special, giving him a boost in confidence that began to unravel the tight ball of anxiety in his chest.

"Zuko it is, then!" he said, stepping to the side and sweeping his arm toward the door. "If you'll just follow me, I'll introduce you to the team!"

Zuko looked less enthusiastic about that than Sokka would have hoped, be he supposed it was understandable. He stuck close to Zuko's side, fingertips barely brushing the back of his t-shirt as he opened the door and ushered him inside.

"Okay, guys, this is Zuko!" he announced, and just as he'd expected, Aang was the first one to jump up from his chair, gathering his robes and darting out from behind his desk with all the grace of an excited airbender.

"Hi, Zuko!" he greeted, all smiles and waves. Zuko leaned back in alarm. "I'm Aang!"

"Down, boy," Sokka said, swatting at him with Zuko's volunteer form. "Here, take this."

He turned to Zuko, offering him an apologetic smile and a gentle pat to the shoulder, which Zuko accepted with only a minor glance and a jerky nod.

"Aang is our resident jack of all trades. He primarily works in adoptions, but he's also trained in admissions, the kennels and our wildlife department. He and Monk Gyatso practically raised this place from the ground," Sokka explained. "He's also my not so little, little brother."

"That's me!" Aang said. "If you ever need any help, just ask! I can do just about everything but wash dishes. I'm not allowed because I overflow the tubs too often and Katara gets mad at me."

"Katara is my sister, and our lead veterinarian. I'll introduce you later," Sokka said, though that was one meeting he definitely wasn't looking forward to.

Pushing on, he turned to Suki, who was much less animated than Aang, but welcoming all the same, and Sokka made a mental note to buy her dinner as both a thank you and an apology.

"This is Suki, our amazing adoptions lead," he said. Suki rolled her eyes.

"It's nice to meet you, Zuko. I'm sure you'll have a great time here; it's very rewarding work."

"Um, hi. Zuko here," Zuko said, raising his hand in a tiny wave. "I guess you already know that, though. Obviously..."

Sokka's heart simultaneously broke for Zuko and expanded in adoration, eyes following the uncertain curl of Zuko's fingers as he slowly lowered his hand. Suki must have recognized the look on his face, her voice cutting through the fog in his brain.

"We're very happy to have you," she said, easily smoothing over the awkwardness while Sokka could do little else but stare stupidly. "Sokka's going to take you on a tour of the shelter - right, Sokka?"

"Yes! Ah, yeah, that's right. That's exactly what I'm going to do," Sokka said. "You still technically have to be approved by the Volunteer Coordinator, but I can still show you around and tell you more about what we do."

"And don't worry, I'm already working on your application!" Aang said. "I've already talked to the Director about you, and they're really happy you're joining the team!"

"O-Oh?" Zuko paused. "Um, thank you."

He looked as though he wanted to say more, but he pressed his lips together, falling silent. His eyes kept moving to Aang before darting away again, and Sokka could only imagine what he was thinking. He didn't push him, however, and neither did Suki or Aang. Instead, they said their goodbyes, calling after them as Sokka led him out of the lobby and down the hall toward the kennels.

"I thought you were head of adoptions?" Zuko asked as soon as the door closed behind them. Sokka nodded enthusiastically.

"I am! Officially, I mean. I'm also the resident handyman, as well as an ambassador," he said. "I help out in the kennels, too, when I have time, and we're all trained to handle emergencies."

Environmental emergencies, he almost said, but that was something he had already vowed not to bring up.

"Sounds like you're really busy," Zuko noted, eyebrow raised. If there was even the slightest hint that he was impressed, Sokka was going to find it and hold on to it, possibly forever.

"That's the shelter life," he said with a laugh. "Our volunteers are the same way. We ask for four hours a month, but most of them are here every week; Toph practically lived in the kennels before they started paying her to be here. Actually, I think she still sleeps with the badgermoles sometimes... You'll meet her soon, I promise."

He led Zuko down the hall to the first of the kennels, where dogs of all shapes and sizes leaned up on their hind legs to get a better look at them. Sokka watched as Zuko reached up to the clear fiberglass window of the first kennel, pressing his hand opposite of the massive paw belonging to the polar bear dog inside.

"Polar bear dogs are really popular when they're puppies, but a lot of people don't realize how big they get, and they end up bringing them here," Sokka explained. "Well, that's the best case scenario. Most of our dogs we've found wandering the streets because their previous owners just weren't strong enough to hold onto their leads."

He continued to lead Zuko past the kennels, pointing out different animals and their stories.

"These are all ready for adoption. We have more kennels set up for strays and smaller pets, like owlcats. Then we have an entirely separate kennel system for our wildlife," he said as they came to another door. This one led to the hallway that served as the barrier between the adoptions side and the rehabilitation side, with another series of rooms at the far end of the corridor. Sokka pointed to them. "That's our medical department. We have a fully functioning operating room and treatment area, though most lab work still has to be sent out, and we still have to outsource a lot of stuff. We just don't have the money or the staffing, and Katara is our only waterbender."

"She uses her bending, then? To heal?" Zuko asked, already sounding awed by the fact. Sokka grinned and nodded.

"Yep! But she can't use it for spays and neuters, and broken bones aren't the easiest to heal. Since she's our only full-time veterinarian, she's stretched pretty thin even when we have extra help," he said. He gently knocked Zuko with his elbow. "That's why volunteers are so important."

He paused, something about curiosity and owlcats in the back of his mind like a warning, but his mouth refused to heed it.

"I know you said you used to fight… You're a firebender, right?"

Zuko hadn't initially reacted to his touch beyond a slight frown, but he tensed then, stepping away from Sokka and crossing his arms - a wall Sokka had thought he was over suddenly growing that much taller. He cursed himself and made to apologize, because of course Zuko wouldn't want to—

"... Yes, I am," Zuko said quietly, not quite looking at him. Once again, he looked like he wanted to say more, but he fell silent again. Terrified of saying something else of equal stupidity, Sokka pressed on with a strained laugh.

"How about I show you our rehabilitation center? It's a big part of our wildlife department. We pride ourselves on releasing wild animals back into their natural habitats, and we work closely with conservationists..."

He knew he was talking a lot, but it felt better than letting silence fill the space between them that only seemed to grow bigger each time Sokka said something stupid - which was often, he was beginning to realize. But Zuko stuck to his side, for some reason Sokka couldn't understand, and if there was one thing he knew, it was that he should question the small miracles.

He guided Zuko through a set of double doors that led to a short hallway with offices on either side, though he quickly passed by them. The last thing he wanted to do was expose Zuko to the chaos that was Jet's Freedom Fighters, especially just then. It was a nickname Jet had picked up before his time with the shelter, when he had regularly harassed companies for their waste policies and poor environmental records.

Now he was getting paid to do it, but Sokka didn't think much had changed. Jet was still the wildly unpredictable bastard he'd always been, and even if his dedication was admirable, Sokka didn't have to like him.

And neither did Zuko, if Sokka could help it, but that didn't change the fact that Jet was the main obstacle between them and Zuko's turtleducks—

"Watch it! Coming through!"

Sokka quickly jumped to the side, throwing out an arm across Zuko's chest and pressing him against the wall as Smellerbee and Longshot came barreling around the corner, an alligator-beaver held between them and what looked like thick plastic netting trailing behind. Zuko went willingly, lifting a hand to Sokka's forearm, the warmth of his fingers momentarily distracting Sokka from the flailing creature the two were struggling to carry. Zuko watched them disappear, while Sokka watched Zuko, maybe a little bit in love with the way his brow furrowed in worry and the way his grip tightened just slightly on his arm.

"Some asshole was keeping it as a pet in a pond. It managed to escape but got caught in some construction netting overnight; Katara already knows it might be an amputation."

Sokka had terrible luck.

He turned, coming face to face with Jet, who stood in all his arrogant glory, arms crossed and his usual dirty piece of grass hanging from his lips. His smirk matched Sokka's scowl in pure animosity.

"Who's this? A new paper pusher?"

"Volunteer, actually," Sokka said. Jet raised an eyebrow, and Sokka realized he still had his arm across Zuko. He flushed, reluctantly dropping his arm and stepping aside, though the way Jet's eyes widened was completely lost on him as he turned to Zuko. "That was Smellerbee and Longshot. I'll introduce you later. This is—"

"Hey, Zukes," Jet interrupted. Behind Sokka, Zuko scoffed.

  
"Don't call me that," he said. Then, quieter, "Hello, Jet."

Sokka got the immediate feeling that he might as well have been invisible. 

"It's been a while," Jet said, raising an eyebrow. His shoulders were tense, and there was something unreadable in his expression, something that made Sokka deeply uncomfortable. Though, that feeling could have also been his breakfast threatening to claw its way back up his throat. "Everything okay at home?"

"I live with Uncle now. I help him run the tea house," Zuko replied, pointedly ignoring Sokka's palpable confusion. "I'm—It's better."

Jet studied him for a moment, but slowly, the tension eased, and he smiled - different than his usual smirk, but Sokka instantly decided he hated it more.

"Glad to hear it," he said at last. "You look good."

Zuko made a soft noise of protest, and Sokka jerked his head back toward him in time to catch the light blush that graced his cheek. The resulting infatuation didn't mix well with the sudden rush of jealousy that ate away at him simply because he hadn't been the one to put it there.

"You, too," Zuko said, and this time he was very clearly trying not to look at either of them, though his gaze did eventually settle. "You're married?"

Jet held up the hand Zuko was suddenly so interested in. Sokka was laser focused on the downward turn of Zuko's lips, the slight furrowing of his brow, and whatever that emotion was in his voice. It wasn't like before, the warm feeling in his chest replaced with a heavy and cold dread.

"Last year," Jet said proudly, showing off the gold band on his finger. "Remember Jin?"

"Jin? Really? I thought she had higher standards."

Jet dropped his hand to his chest with a sigh, pouting. He was actually _pouting_. Sokka blanched.

"I'm a catch, thank you very much, but it's worth it to remind you who she asked out first."

"Okay, wait, wait, hold on! Am I missing something here? You _know_ each other?" Sokka physically couldn't hold it in anymore, and he once again felt the need to throw his arm across Zuko as if to protect him from a dangerous animal. He wasn't actually sure if there _was_ a danger beyond his innate desire to never be in the same room as Jet. "And who is Jin?"

"Jin is my wife," Jet said. "Y'know, sometimes I don't believe you have a degree in engineering."

"I didn't even know you got married!"

"I didn't invite you to the wedding," Jet replied, and his smirk was back, the stupid piece of grass bobbing with the shift. Sokka glared at him, unsure if he should be grateful or offended by the snub. "But to answer your question: yes, I know Zuko. We go way back."

He waved an expectant hand at Zuko, who sighed heavily and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"We used to date," he muttered. Sokka stared at him.

He had really, _really_ bad luck.

"You used to _what_?"

"See what I mean? Kind of an idiot," Jet said to Zuko, shaking his head, and Sokka might have been more offended if so much of his mental energy wasn't currently devoted to trying to understand what was happening. "We were together for... a year? Maybe a little longer? That was before you moved here officially."

"A year and two months," Zuko corrected him. "I know you used to volunteer, but I didn't know you were actually working here now..."

There was an apology in Zuko's voice, in the awkward way he held himself, as if he'd rather be anywhere else. And why wouldn't he? Sokka had made a lot of mistakes in his life, many of them with Suki, but he had never managed to reintroduce her to one of her exes.

"They offered me the position a couple years ago. Small world, huh?" Jet said with a shrug of his shoulders, and Sokka wanted to scream. _Small world_ didn't even begin to cover it. "I have to get back to work. There's a chemical waste case in the Agrarian Zone, so we've got more animals coming in."

He paused, giving Zuko another once over that made Sokka's skin crawl.

"I'm glad you're volunteering, Zukes. It'll do you a lot of good," he said before shifting his gaze to Sokka. "Dunno what you did to get him here. I tried for a whole year."

There it was again, that same percipient look, as if he were nothing more than a specimen in a jar. Sokka didn't like it any more than the look he gave Zuko; it reminded him too much of Suki, and Katara, and everyone who thought they knew him and _did_.

And now that included Jet, apparently, and if someone like him could see it, then Zuko must have recognized it right from the beginning.

Jet brushed past them, disappearing in the direction Smellerbee and Longshot had gone, and Zuko watched him go, shifting from foot to foot.

"I, uh," he said after a moment. "That—"

"You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to," Sokka rushed to reassure him, but, _spirits_ , the masochist in him wanted to know. The sheer relief that rippled through Zuko's body was telling enough, and it was so easy for his imagination to fill in the gaps.

But Zuko smiled at him, grateful and a little bit shaky, and Sokka knew he couldn't ask.

"Let's go see the kennels," he said instead. It was worth it to see Zuko perk up. "We have a pretty strict release schedule, but some of our animals need more advanced care, and there are a few waiting for permanent placement. I also know for a fact that we have some baby turtleducks around here somewhere..."

The turtleducks were probably a bad idea in retrospect; Zuko was so captivated by them that the rest of the shelter tour was effectively put on hold. Sokka just couldn't justify pulling him away, even if the most they could do was watch them paddle around their makeshift pond. It was worth it, he'd decided, to see the discomfort and unease morph into joy - a bit on the reserved side, but joy nonetheless. It was the soft smile that reached all the way up to Zuko's eyes, bright as the sun after the rain, that gave Sokka the same feeling he saw reflected in them.

It was enough, just for a little while, to shove Jet to the back of his mind.

He never took early lunches (or lunch at all, he was sure some of his friends would argue), but he found himself sitting down with Zuko in the breakroom. Zuko respectfully declined his offer to share his sea prunes, and he returned the gesture by declining a handful of fire flakes that Zuko got from the vending machine.

"It's not that I can't handle them," he hurried to say. "I just like to taste my food, y'know?"

Zuko raised an eyebrow, glancing at his sea prunes, but the tentative amusement on his face lessened the sting, just a little. Sokka stuffed the rest of his sea prune into his mouth and chewed, slowly and deliberately.

"How are you liking it so far?" he asked after a moment. He didn't want to mention Jet, but he was sure the unspoken question was obvious.

"It's... fun?" Zuko hesitated with a thoughtful nod of his head. "I like it."

"It's kind of hard to put you in one place. We need people in every department, but I could try—"

 _Try to put you in the adoption kennels, far away from Jet,_ he didn't say out loud, but he didn't have to, as Toph chose that moment to saunter into the breakroom.

"I'm calling dibs," she said. "I need more people on the adoptions side. You suck at cleaning kennels, Sokka."

"I scrub them spotless!" Sokka defended himself.

"And yet they still smell like shit," Toph said, tapping her nose. "Sparky, ignore everything this guy has told you. _I'm_ gonna handle your training."

To his credit, Zuko didn't look utterly terrified, but he was confused. Sokka flashed him a grin.

"This is Toph, one of our kennel staff leads."

"The one that sleeps with the badgermoles?"

"Ha! Never mind, then, I think Sokka told you everything you need to know about me," Toph said. "My disclaimer is that I might be blind, but I run the kennels. I know them right down to the screws in the frames, and I can tell if they aren't clean. Metalbending is extremely useful, or annoying, depending on if you're Sokka or not."

"Hey! I clean them!"

"You can bend metal?" Zuko asked.

"Yeah. Not many can. I actually teach a class," she said. "Your dad's company employs metalbenders, but they aren't very well trained. Every time I hear about an injury, I kind of want to punch his face in. No offense."

Sokka winced as Zuko frowned, but he didn't look as upset as he would have thought.

"It's okay. I don't blame you," he said, and maybe he _was_ upset, if the tightness in his voice was any indication. "Safety regulations aren't exactly his strong point. Also, he's an asshole."

Toph tossed her head back with a laugh, and Sokka couldn't help but join her out of sheer surprise. Zuko smiled, and it wasn't quite like seeing the sun or a turtleduck, but it gave Sokka hope.

That hope came crashing down as soon as Katara appeared in the doorway, leaning against the frame. Her expression was even and cool, but Sokka knew better than to assume it was anything other than deceptively thin ice.

Zuko seemed to sense it, too, sitting up a little straighter, crumbling his fire flake bag and holding it tightly in his fist.

"You can say that again," Katara said, eying Zuko, though she didn't step any farther into the room. Sokka wasn't sure if that was a good thing.

"My... father's an asshole?" Zuko said at length. Toph snickered as she sat down beside Sokka, and Sokka kicked her foot beneath the table, which earned him a punch to the shoulder.

Katara was less amused, but she didn't immediately go for the throat. Sokka took the opportunity to jump in.

"Zuko, this is Katara, my sister! Remember, I told you all about her and the medical department? How she's a waterbending prodigy and also the best veterinarian in Ba Sing Se and probably the whole world?" he said. It was as much for Zuko's benefit as it was Katara's. He hoped she would be a little less willing to go for the throat if he groveled at her feet first. "Katara, this is Zuko, our awesome new volunteer! I told you he was coming today, _remember_?"

Katara didn't look nearly as amused as Toph clearly was, or as forgiving as Sokka would have hoped.

"I remember," she said. She didn't skip a beat, her eyes never leaving Zuko. "Does Ozai know you're here? You do realize Safe Haven is one of the biggest proponents of environmental protection and human rights in Ba Sing Se, right? And that your family's company is the biggest offender we know of?"

"Katara—"

"I know that," Zuko said, cutting Sokka off. Sokka glanced at him, frowning as Zuko pushed his chair back and got to his feet. He was clearly uncomfortable, but his jaw was set, eyes bright with anger that Sokka couldn't tell was directed at Katara or his father, or somewhere within. "My father doesn't know I'm here. I... don't really care if he finds out."

"I'm against everything he stands for. I'm not affiliated with Sozin Industries. I'm barely affiliated with my family," he said, faltering, but he didn’t let it deter him. "I'm my own person. I can make my own choices, and I—and I choose to be here."

Katara's eyes widened, her stance relaxing just slightly, if only out of surprise. When she didn't say anything, however, Zuko began to fidget, unfurling the fire flake bag. It filled the silence with an insanely grating crinkling.

"... Right. Well, this is sufficiently painful," Toph said, punching Sokka once more as she stood. "I'm ending my break early. Let's go, Sparky."

Zuko looked up from the bag, confused, but he didn't hesitate to follow her as she breezed past Katara. Zuko was a little more careful, edging around her and raising a hand. His lips parted, then shut as he wisely decided not to say anything more. He did, however, offer Sokka a small, not quite smile before Toph grabbed his arm and dragged him away.

Sokka glared at Katara.

"I told you not to do that," he hissed, but Katara shook her head, refusing to back down.

"He needs to know where we stand," she said. "He's never even spoken out against Ozai; believe me, I checked last night, just to be sure. Did you know he went on the record saying that the accident that gave him all that scarring was completely his fault? He cleared his dad of any wrongdoing."

"You don't really believe that, do you?" Sokka asked. It was Katara's turn to look uncomfortable, but she shrugged and turned away.

"No, which is exactly why we should be careful. He might be here because he wants to be, but we don't really know why."

"Oh, don't start being paranoid."

"Don't let your crush on him blind you."

" _Katara_."

" _Sokka_."

They both sighed, the silence less tense than it had been before.

Then, "Am I still invited to dinner tonight?"

"I'm not eating all of Aang's moon peach cake by myself."


End file.
